Extension-table



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

p CORNELIUS BRIGGS, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,185, dated September 9, 1845.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS BRIGGs, of Roxbury, in the `.county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Extension- 'Iables, and that the following description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings hereinafter referredto, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have setforth the nature and principles of my said improvement by which myinvention may be distinguished from others of a similar class, togetherwith such part or combination as I claim and desire to have secured tome by Letters Patent.

The object of my improvement is to make a perfect jointl where the twosemi-circular parts of the top of the table come together. It is wellknown, that after completion, the said two parts of the table are apt toshrink, so as, when brought as near together as is possible by thepresent arrangement to leave a space between them, which diminishes thefirmness of the article when used as a center table, and likewiseessentially injures its appearance.

My improvement is effected by making one half of the top adjustable in ahorizontal direction, so that by a simple me chanical contrivance it canbe moved forward and back, to correct the defect in the table, arisingfrom the shrinking above mentioned.

The figures of the accompanying plate of drawings represent myimprovement.

Figure l, is a plan of the underside of one of the semicircular parts ofthe table. Fig. 2 is a section of the same, taken in the plane of lineA, B and Fig. 3, is a section taken in the plane of the line C D Fig. 1.

a a is the semi-circular half of the top of the table andi?) thesemicircular half of the supporting frame `for the same, which has asuitable strengthening cross brace c, c as shown in the several figures.The top a a is supported on the frame b o, so as to be adjustable, asbefore suggested, by means of the several right angle tongues (Z, d, ci,(l, CZ, whose vertical arms are attached to the inside of the frame b b,while the horizontal ones engage with and slide in proper grooves formedin the metallic cleats e, e, e, e, e, which cleats are screwed to theunderside ofthe top a a as shown in Figs. 1, 2,

and 3. These tongues and grooved cleats are arranged at suchpoints ofth-e frame b Z2 and top a a, as to cause said top a a, when moved foradjustment to retain its proper relative position on the frame, everypart being equally moved. The top a a, projects some little distanceover the frame b b as shown in Fig` 2. And the requisite adjustment ofthe top being usually but about of an inch, the relative position of thetop and frame would always appear about the same. The horizontaladjustment of the top a a is effected by the following mechanicalarrangement: A male screw f Figs. 1 and 2, arranged so as to turn butnot to advance, is supported so as to turn easily in proper bearings inthe cross brace c c, and bearing block g attached to the frame b I) asshown in the drawings. This screw works in a corresponding female screwcut in the nut 7L, which nut is firmly secured to the underside of thesemicircular top a a, as shown in Fig. l.

From the above explanation it will appear that when the two parts of thetop of the table shrink, so. as not to come perfectly together, by theordinary arrangement of eX- tension tables, one part of the top may bemoved up, so as to bear perfectly against the edge of the other, bymerely turning the screw f, with the thumb and fingers as hereinbeforeexplained. If deemed necessary it will be evident that both parts of thetop may be rendered adjustable, but it is presumed that such anarrangement will be superfluous. l

Having thus described my improvement in extension tables I shall statemy claim as follows;

What I claim as my invention and desire to have secured to me by LettersPatent is,

The making or arranging either semicircular part of the top of saidtable, so as to be capable of an horizontal adjustment, substantially ashereinabove described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that the foregoing is a true description of my saidinvention and improvement I have hereto set my signature thistwenty-ninth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and forty ve.

CORNELIUS BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. I-IAsKINs, EZRA LINCOLN, J r.

